Small OOTP 9 Update

[Markus Heinsohn]

Hey guys!

I just want to keep you in the loop a bit OOTP 9 is in development, but has not entered beta testing yet, so the release will not be before Opening Day. We will start a preordering period in March though, so keep your eyes open for a nice offer.

Here are few of the things that will be new in the game:
- In-game sound
- Totally recoded scouting
- Revised financials, including two optional revenue sharing systems
- Some nifty stuff for online leagues
- Even more improved historical league support, resulting in pretty much perfect results
- Player suspensions
- Improved interface
- Improved HTML & reports
- Tons of tweaks & AI improvements
- A great new skin
- 2008 MLB rosters

This year we will not add hundreds of bells & whistles, but rather improve what we already have. Feature-wise the game is already lightyears ahead of the competition, so we're focusing on making the game more enjoyable

The price will probably be $39.90 for the full version, and $24.90 in the preorder period.

Cheers!
Markus

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

- Player suspensions

In game suspensions for beaning? Or a user-definable "get caught using drugs" value...

Excellent nevs Markus.

I take it for us not in America, we just change the $ to € to get our price?

[Corsairs]

Thanks for the update Markus! It's very helpful to get a picture of what's going on behind the scenes. I'm sure most all of us are happy to wait for what's sure to be a great new version of the game. The little updates definitely make the wait more palatable, though!

[Cryomaniac]

*Awaits all the impatient / ungrateful fools saying "What about ... from the suggestion list"*...

[bababui]

How to justify a 40 dollar price tag with no animation??

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by bababui

How to justify a 40 dollar price tag with no animation??

Well, the game has probably been underpriced for a bit now, so it's just catching up, I think. The preorder price is nice, and I think that after the last version, many of us are trusting enough to go for the preorder.

[andymac]

Originally Posted by bababui

How to justify a 40 dollar price tag with no animation??

Why would animation be needed to justify a 40 dollar price tag?

[bababui]

Originally Posted by ctorg

Well, the game has probably been underpriced for a bit now, so it's just catching up, I think. The preorder price is nice, and I think that after the last version, many of us are trusting enough to go for the preorder.

Originally Posted by andymac

Why would animation be needed to justify a 40 dollar price tag?

The price is higher than Worldwide Soccer Manager yet with far fewer features. The pre-order price is much more reasonable. I understand the need to capitalize Markus, but for a game with few new features it might be a bit over priced.

[injury log]

Originally Posted by Cryomaniac

*Awaits all the impatient / ungrateful fools saying "What about ... from the suggestion list"*...

I expect those questions won't get answers, but note from the wording preceding Markus' 'New Features' list, it's not the complete list. There will be others, presumably.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

This year we will not add hundreds of bells & whistles, but rather improve what we already have. Feature-wise the game is already lightyears ahead of the competition, so we're focusing on making the game more enjoyable

Good decision, looking forward for it!

[andymac]

Originally Posted by bababui

The price is higher than Worldwide Soccer Manager yet with far fewer features. The pre-order price is much more reasonable. I understand the need to capitalize Markus, but for a game with few new features it might be a bit over priced.

I don't think labeling OOTP as having far fewer features than Worldwide Soccer Manager is accurate. Can you play historically back to 1901 in WWS? The two games are very different with different sets of features but both have things that the other doesn't.

[andymac]

Is there going to be any way to do mass edits in the new version? Since it doesn't sound like endurance will be fixed it would be nice if there was a fairly simple way to quickly edit an entire universe of players.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by andymac

I don't think labeling OOTP as having far fewer features than Worldwide Soccer Manager is accurate. Can you play historically back to 1901 in WWS? The two games are very different with different sets of features but both have things that the other doesn't.

OOTP does have far fewer features than WWSM. I love both games but WWSM is the gold standard in sport sims. Given that WWSM actually has to pay for its licenses and has a graphic engine and deeper game play yet sells for less that $40 tells me that a retooled OOTP2009 might be a bit overpriced.

I will still buy it though.

[andymac]

Originally Posted by bababui

OOTP does have far fewer features than WWSM. I love both games but WWSM is the gold standard in sport sims. Given that WWSM actually has to pay for its licenses and has a graphic engine and deeper game play yet sells for less that $40 tells me that a retooled OOTP2009 might be a bit overpriced.

I will still buy it though.

I agree that it is "tighter" than OOTP and a better overall game but I just don't see the far more features.

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by bababui

I understand the need to capitalize Markus

Me too... it's a proper noun

[bababui]

Originally Posted by andymac

I agree that it is "tighter" than OOTP and a better overall game but I just don't see the far more features.

Perhaps I should have said that it models the modern sports environment better and with the addition of a graphical representation of the game along with real players and a realistic financial model as well as much deeper player modeling.

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

- In-game sound

This year we will not add hundreds of bells & whistles

That's good - bells and whistles would really start to grate after a while

[bababui]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

That's good - bells and whistles would really start to grate after a while

I LIKE whistles.

[The Wolf]

Sound's a total waste, the better historical support is awesome, and I'll buy it but IMO the price should be $29.90.

And - somebody has to ask it - what about all those great ideas on the suggestion list?

[Another Mike D]

$40 with almost no new features? $40 and there are still issues with v2007/8 that need fixing? Oh well, I guess the need for yearly revenue outweighs the need for a fully functional version.